Official statements from the Iranian government or credible international news agencies

Iran's Supreme Leader Blames US, Israel, and Turkey for Assad's Ouster

Dec 11, 2024, 03:17 PM

Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has accused the United States and Israel of orchestrating the collapse of the Syrian government led by Bashar al-Assad. In his first official response to Assad's ousting, Khamenei claimed that the events in Syria were the result of a 'joint American and Zionist plot', with evidence pointing to their involvement. He also mentioned that a neighboring country, implicitly referring to Turkey, played a significant role in the events. Khamenei warned that the resistance front would not weaken and would instead expand its influence across the region. He criticized the Syrian army for its lack of resistance and vowed that Iran's intelligence services had warned Assad of the threats to his regime. In response to Khamenei's accusations, Israel's Defense Minister Israel Katz suggested that Tehran should blame itself for Assad's fall, pointing out Iran's substantial financial support for Assad's regime.